55 PLUS

CHA's rehab of 58 seniors buildings almost finished

The CHA's renovation of its 58 buildings for low-income seniors is nearing completion.

At the end of April, about 91 percent of the 9,446 apartments had been rehabbed. The rest should be finished by 2007.

"We are down to our last few buildings," said August Chidichimo, director of capital construction for the Chicago Housing Authority. "This was a comprehensive modernization of the buildings."

The multiyear project cost $500 million. The overhaul brought building mechanical systems -- plumbing and electricity -- up to speed. New elevators have been installed. The apartments have new windows, kitchens and bathrooms. Building lobbies are also new. The overarching goal was to make the buildings more like market-rate apartments, instead of a last resort for the elderly poor.

"Everything is very nice," said Hazel Warren, who has lived for 12 years on the city's North Side in a CHA building at 838 N. Noble St. Her monthly rent is $136. "The building was OK before, but not nearly as good as it is now," Warren added. "They've done a beautiful job.

The CHA's senior buildings, which have studio and one-bedroom apartments, are scattered throughout the city.

As part of the senior building revamp, the CHA is also tightening resident rules. On March 24, the CHA got approval from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the federal agency that makes the rules, to not accept residents younger than 62. Previously, vacant apartments occasionally were rented to younger people, which was bad for vulnerable seniors.

It should be noted that some buildings still have young residents, though the CHA has been moving them out. In 2000, residents younger than 50 were offered Section 8 vouchers to leave. "It's hard to say how many residents are under age 50," said Donna Dixon, director of senior support services at the CHA. "But the number is lower every year. That is our objective."

She quickly added that as long as younger residents follow the rules and pay their rent, they would not be evicted.

Dixon feels residents take pride in their new apartments, and there has been less anti-social behavior in the buildings since the renovation. "Residents feel good about the buildings, and they don't let others mess it up," she said.

Resident Warren works three hours a day at the security desk in her building, answering questions and checking visitor IDs. She says things are better, but the building still has people who don't keep up their property. She complains about cigarette butts in the elevator, too.

An important part of the CHA renovation was the addition of air conditioning to every apartment. Not all the apartments were air-conditioned, and the CHA wants to prevent a repeat of a situation of a few years ago, when hundreds of Chicago seniors died during a heat wave. Seniors will be able to control the air conditioner in their apartment. Building common areas also are air conditioned.

Seven percent of the new apartments are handicapped accessible. Some units are meant for someone who is blind or deaf. Units for the deaf, for instance, have a flashing light to indicate someone is at the door.

Each building has a service coordinator, who helps residents get needed services, such as Meals on Wheels or rides to the doctor. Once a year, the service coordinator is supposed to meet with residents to assess the their situation.

All buildings have new security systems and security guards at night. Depending on the neighborhood, some buildings have 24-hour patrols.

The last three buildings to be renovated are what the CHA's Chidichimo calls its "hotel" buildings. These are buildings from the 1920s and difficult to bring up to today's standards. For example, rehab work has started at the Britton Budd Apartments, 501 W. Surf St., just north of Diversey Parkway. "Talk about a nice neighborhood," said Chidichimo. The CHA is trying to be sensitive to the building's historic significance, he added. For example, the terra cotta facade of the building is being repaired.

About 900 of the new apartments are vacant, according to the CHA's Dixon. Buildings in better neighborhoods have long waiting lists. The CHA's most popular senior building is 1750 W. Peterson Ave., on the North Side. Another popular building, also on the North Side, is 1930 W. Loyola Ave. "The waiting list could be several years long," Dixon noted.

A senior who applies for a vacant apartment can expect to wait about four to six weeks. A criminal background check and credit check are made of all applicants. A visit is also made to applicants to review their needs.

To qualify for an apartment, single seniors must have an annual income of less than $26,000. A two-person household must have an annual income less than $30,000. (Applications are available at the buildings. Or contact the CHA Occupancy Department, 4700 S. State St., Chicago, IL 60616, or call 312-742-9253.)